Free-fall corner

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to an apparatus utilized for extracting earth cores from sub-sea formations. In particular, the apparatus may be dropped from a carrier vessel, whereupon it descends as a completely self contained unit to the ocean bottom. After penetration and extrusion by the apparatus in the ocean bottom an automatic condition-responsive device facilitates the extrication of the apparatus from the marine bottom by providing a sufficient buoyant force to lift the apparatus to the ocean surface.

O United States Patent 11 1 Payne Nov. 19, 1974 [5 FREE-FALL CORNER 3,434,551 3/1969 Rosfelder 175/6 3,442,339 5/1969 Williamson 175/6 [75] Inventor- 2 Payne Long Island 3,693,730 9 1972 Edigarian 175/6 [73] Assignee: Leslie J. Payne, Arlington, Va. a Primary Examiner-Henry C. Sutherland part interest Assistant ExaminerRichard E. Favreau Filed: g 29, 1972 Attorney, Agent, or FzrmLesl1e J. Payne This invention is directed to an apparatus utilized for [52] US. Cl. 175/5, 175/58 extracting earth cores from sub sea formations In [51] [ISL Cl E211) 7/12. ticular the apparatus may be dropped f a carrier [58] Fleld of Search 175/6, 5, 245, 58, 59, vessel whereupon i descends as a Completely Self 166/63 contained unit to the ocean bottom. After penetration and extrusion by the apparatus in the ocean bottom an [56] References cued automatic condition-responsive device facilitates the UNITED STATES PATENTS extrication of the apparatus from the marine bottom 2,664,269 12 1953 Knight et al. 175 245 x y pr viding a sufficient buoyant force to lift the ap- 2,798,378 7/1957 Del Raso et al. paratus to the ocean surface. 3,078,931 2/1963 Moore 3,231,021 1 1966 Greene 166/63 x 6.0311118, 7 Drawlng Flgures PATENIU, :anvx 91914 SHEEI 2 0F 2 FREE-FALL CORNER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to means for obtaining cores from sub-sea earth formations, and is specifically related to an improved self-contained extrusion apparatus for removing such cores.

Presently there is great interest being developed in the field of oceanography. Attempts are being made to learn more about the make up and consistency of the ocean bottom as well as developing improved retrieval methods, for economic utilization of the natural resources found in the sea-bed. There have been several types of ocean bottom retrieving devices developed. However, all of them suffer from some type of disadvantage.

B. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART One of the simplest methods proposed for obtaining a deep sea core sample is to employ a freefall corer. Exemplary of these freefall cores are depicted in the patent to Moore, US. Pat. No. 3,078,931 and the patent to Williamson, US. Pat. No. 3,442,339. While the means disclosed in these patents are improvements over the previous methods employed, in that they eliminate pay out cables, winches and the concommitent power machinery to drive the winches, nevertheless, they are complicated in design, manufacture and use. One disadvantage attendent with the prior art free-fall corers is that burdensome mechanical weight release mechanisms for ballast weights are employed. Furthermore, the prior art free fall corers have an awkward structural configuration, which makes it difficult to maneuver aboard an oceanographic vessel employing conventional rigging.

- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION sion for a self-contained and compact freefall corer ap-v paratus.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a marine extracting apparatus that is easily handled aboard vessels.

A specific object of this invention is an automatic condition-responsive device that provides a sufficient buoyant force to contribute to the extrusion process and simultaneously provide a sufficient force to extricate the apparatus from the sea bed.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a less expensive, simple and efficient means to trigger the buoyant device so as to initiate the extrication force.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a sectional schematic view of the apparatus during the extrusion process.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a feature of the invention.

FIGS. 3-7 are schematic views showing the apparatus in various positions during its operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1. and 2. the preferred embodiment of the extrusion apparatus 10 constituting the subject matter of the invention is shown as having an elongated tubular coring barrel 12. Adapted for sliding engagement within the barrel is an extrusion piston 14. The piston is comprised of main upper body 16, a middle portion 18 and a lower neck portion 20. The upper body 16 is so dimensioned as to have a sliding contact with the internal periphery 22 of the barrel 12. To be mounted on the neck portion isa plurality of elastic O- ring members 24. The O-rings provide resistance to the movement of the'piston 14 as it moves within the barrel. Spacer 27 is provided between adjacent O-rings 24 so as to provide proper positioning therefor thereby eliminating a bunching thereof. Adjustment of this resistance is accomplished by a screw bolt 26 and an end cap 28. The end cap is placed upon the neck portion after the elastic O-ring members 24 have been mounted there on. The screw bolt is received within threaded bore 30 of the neck portion 20. Depending upon the direction of rotation the screw bolt 26, the screw bolt will move either towards or away from the elastic 0- rings members. If it is desired to increase the resistance to movement of the piston, the bolt is turned so as to increase the axial compressive force exerted on the elastic O-rings members by forcing the cap 28 further against them. The result of this increased axial force is such as todeform the O-rings 24 radially outward further increasing the frictional resistance provided thereby. By varying the resistance of the piston 14 the extrusion rate of the piston as it ascends in the barrel 12 is concommitently varied.

An open container 32 is secured to the piston by conventional means. The container is large enough to accomodate a wire 34 of predetermined length and an inflatable balloon type bag 36. The wire is secured at one end thereof to the container and at the other end to a package 38 located and secured within the bag 36. The bag is comprised of a rubber like material. Solid carbon dioxide 40 is housed within the package 38. Due to ambient condition of the water, the solid carbon dioxide will change phase and convert into a gaseous medium. The rate of this phase change will be controlled by insulation of the package 38. The package is also suitably constructed so as to allow the passage therefrom of the gaseous carbon dioxide.

In operation of the preferred embodiment of the instant invention the apparatus 10 is dropped from a carrier vessel and descends to the ocean bottom 42 (figure 3.). The apparatus is of such 'aweight that it descends to the ocean bottom in a vertical position. As it descends a terminal velocity is reached. The combined effect of the terminal velocity and weight of the apparatus provides a sufficient momentum to generate enough force to pierce the ocean bottom and penetrate therein (figure 4).

The package 38 containing the carbon dioxide 40 begins to change from a solid phase to a gaseous phase, due to the physical conditions'of the ambient water. The bag 36 is operatively connected to the package containing the carbon dioxide and will inflate at a rate determined by the change of phase rate of the carbon dioxide. As the bag inflates within the barrel 12 it will rise to the top thereof. In FIG. 5. it can be best viewed, that as the bag rises, so does the piston 1 that is connected thereto. The extrusion process begins by having the bag 36, overcome the friction of the elastic members and move upwardly relative to the barrel 12. Since the earth immediately below the piston is compacted under great pressure exerted thereon by the water thereabove, the earth will be forced into the barrel to fill the void created by the ascending piston. The gases continue to develope in the bag 36 and thereby move the piston upwardly until the bag is completely filled and the piston reaches the top of the barrel 12 and is stopped by conventional means therein. As perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 6, the bag 36 has passed core sample to the waters surface.

The amount of gaseous carbon dioxide generated will be sufficient to adequately provide a positive buoyant force necessary to lift the apparatus 10 and a core 44 from the ocean bottom and ascend to the surface, where it will be retrieved.

Without further analysis the foregoing willsofully re veal the essence of the present invention that others can be applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the contribution to the art and therefore such adaptations should be and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims.

What is claimed as new anddesired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A free fall earth extracting apparatus for extruding earth from the ocean bottom comprising: a barrel having opposite open ends and being descendable to vertically penetrate the ocean bottom, an extrusion piston adapted to frictionally slide within the barrel, a container attached to the piston, an inflatable bag-like member connected at one end to the container, and means arranged within the bag-like member, thereby creating a positive buoyant force sufficient to lift the piston in the barrel, so as to effectuate extrusion of earth into the barrel, and then the apparatus including the extruded earth from the ocean bottom.

2. Theappartus as defined in claim 1 wherein the inflating means comprises a package containing a material that changes phase from a solid to a gas.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, the extrusion piston is provided with adjustment means to vary the friction of the extrusion piston, against the barrel.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the adjustment device comprises a plurality of elastic members which frictionally abut an inner surface of the bar rel, an abutting cap which abuts one of the elastic members and is adapted to move relative to the extrusion piston in response to. movement of a screw bolt so as to vary the friction of the elastic members against the barrel.

5. A free fall earth extracting apparatus for extruding earth from the ocean bottom comprising: a generally elongated tubular member having opposite open ends and being descendable to vertically penetrate the ocean bottom; means disposed within and frictionally engaging said tubular member for vertical movement relative thereto; expansible means connected with said means disposed within and frictionally engaging said tubular member; and means operatively associated with said expansible means to gradually inflate said expansible means, thereby creating a gradually increasing positive buoyant force sufficient to initially vertically lift said means disposed within and frictionally engaging said tubular member so as to effectuate extrusion of earth into said tubular member and then lifting the entire apparatus including extruded earth from the ocean bottom.

6. A method for extracting and retrieving earth from the bottom of a body of water using a free fall earth extracting apparatus having a barrel with opposite open ends and being descendable tovertically penetrate the ocean bottom, an extrusion piston disposed within and slidable relative to the barrel, an inflatable bag-like,

member connected to the extrusion piston, and means for inflating said bag-like member and being connected to the bag-like member comprising the steps of:

maintaining the extrusion piston adjacent one end of the barrel by frictional forces sufficient to permit the piston and the barrel to penetrate into the earth, below the body of water; dropping the apparatus into the body of water so that the end thereof with the piston is to be the end that penetrates the earth below the body of water; penetrating the earth below the body of water by downwardly directed gravitational forces on the apparatus including the piston; and exerting a positive buoyant force on the piston sufficient to overcome the frictional forces between the barrel and the piston to effectuate an upward lifting vertical movement of the piston relative to the barrel so as to effect extrusion of the earth within the barrel and then lifting the entire apparatus from the earth to the surface of the body of water. 

1. A free fall earth extracting apparatus for extruding earth from the ocean bottom comprising: a barrel having opposite open ends and being descendable to vertically penetrate the ocean bottom, an extrusion piston adapted to frictionally slide within the barrel, a container attached to the piston, an inflatable bag-like member connected at one end to the container, and means arranged within the bag-like member, thereby creating a positive buoyant force sufficient to lift the piston in the barrel, so as to effectuate extrusion of earth into the barrel, and then the apparatus including the extruded earth from the ocean bottom.
 2. The appartus as defined in claim 1 wherein the inflating means comprises a package containing a material that changes phase from a solid to a gas.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, the extrusion piston is provided with adjustment means to vary the friction of the extrusion piston, against the barrel.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the adjustment device comprises a plurality of elastic members which frictionally abut an inner surface of the barrel, an abutting cap which abuts one of the elastic members and is adapted to move relative to the extrusion piston in response to movement of a screw bolt so as to vary the friction of the elastic members against the barrel.
 5. A free fall earth extracting apparatus for extruding earth from the ocean bottom comprising: a generally elongated tubular member having opposite open ends and being descendable to vertically penetrate the ocean bottom; means disposed within and frictionally engaging said tubular member for vertical movement relative thereto; expansible means connected with said means disposed within and frictionally engaging said tubular member; and means operatively associated with said expansible means to gradually inflate said expansible means, thereby creating a gradually increasing positive buoyant force sufficient to initially vertically lift said means disposed within and frictionally engaging said tubular member so as to effectuate extrusion of earth into said tubular member and then lifting the entire apparatus including extruded earth from the ocean bottom.
 6. A method for extracting and retrieving earth from the bottom of a body of water using a free fall earth extracting apparatus having a barrel with opposite open ends and being descendable to vertically peneTrate the ocean bottom, an extrusion piston disposed within and slidable relative to the barrel, an inflatable bag-like member connected to the extrusion piston, and means for inflating said bag-like member and being connected to the bag-like member comprising the steps of: maintaining the extrusion piston adjacent one end of the barrel by frictional forces sufficient to permit the piston and the barrel to penetrate into the earth, below the body of water; dropping the apparatus into the body of water so that the end thereof with the piston is to be the end that penetrates the earth below the body of water; penetrating the earth below the body of water by downwardly directed gravitational forces on the apparatus including the piston; and exerting a positive buoyant force on the piston sufficient to overcome the frictional forces between the barrel and the piston to effectuate an upward lifting vertical movement of the piston relative to the barrel so as to effect extrusion of the earth within the barrel and then lifting the entire apparatus from the earth to the surface of the body of water. 